KAROL BĄK
Born on May 30th 1961 in Koło, Poland. He’s a painter and graphic designer. He graduated from the High School of Fine Arts in Poznań. Between 1984 and 1989 he studied in the State College of Fine Arts (currently the Academy of Fine Arts) in Poznań in the Graphics Department achieving two diplomas with honours, in graphic design and in drawing.
After his studies he focused on drawing and copperplate engraving for three years. In the following few years he engaged in graphic design and made a few artistic journeys. In the second half of the ‘90s he took up oil painting.
He’s been painting in oil professionally since 2000. Bąkis a painter of great possibilities. Fascinated by the mystery of the circle and its relations to the rectangle of the canvas, he creates dreamlike worlds of the illusory and the unreal. An admirer of women and an encomiast of femininity, he paints irresistibly beautiful characters. His seraphic heroines float in infinite, dreamlike spaces; they are angels, pearl divers, personifications of the seasons, the elements or the wind. The artist puts his figures in the roles of biblical and mythological characters. He reaches their soul by portraying their bodies. The recurring themes in his artistic work are: Sailing Ships, Dialogues, Cocoons, Aureoles, The Four Elements, Judith and Salome, Polonia.
He collaborates with galleries in Poland, Germany, Netherlands, UK, France, USA and Taiwan. Currently, his primary focus is drawing and easel painting.
He has participated in numerous individual and group exhibitions in Poland and abroad. His works are displayed in museums, showrooms and private collections.
Awards and distinctions:
– Graphic Design Award in the Drawing Award and a scholarship, Diploma 89, Toruń 1989.
– 1st Award and a medal for the Best Drawing and the Best Graphic Design of the Year in the XXI Jan Wroniecki Exhibition, Poznań 1990 – 2nd Award in the II International Exhibition of
– Painting, Graphic Design and Photography I coloridella Polonia a Roma, Rome 2010
– 3rd Award in IV Premio Internazzionale di Pittura e Grafica Natali di Roma, Rome 2010
– The Decoration of Honor Meritorious for Polish Culture awarded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, 2018.
ANDRZEJ BOJ WOJTOWICZ
Born in 1959 in Głubczyce, Poland. Graduated from the State College of Fine Arts in Wrocław, he got his diploma in painting in 1990.
Selected individual exhibitions:
– Centro d`Arte A.Stieglitz, Modena (Italy), 1989
– Arte Fiera, Bologna (Italy), 1990, 1991
– Bautzen (Germany), 1998
– Lund (Sweden), 2001
– Dom Praczki Gallery of Contemporary Sacred Art, Kielce (Poland), 2013
– Fra Angelico Art Gallery, Archdiocesan Museum, Katowice (Poland), 2015
– Lux-Tenebrae, Regional Museum, Jawor, 2018
– Sacrum/Profanum – the first part of the exhibition in BWA Wałbrzych (Poland), 2019; the second part in Triumph of the Holy Cross Church, Wałbrzych, 2019
Selected group exhibitions:
– Salone Italiano Arte Contemporanea (SIAC), Florence (Italy), 1990
– Polonia, symbol tradycji – znak nowoczesności, Karkonosze Museum, Książ Castle, Wałbrzych (Poland), 2018
Frescoes and altar paintings:
– frescoes, King’s Castle, Niepołomice (Poland), 1999
– initation of works in St. Jude Thaddeus Church, Czarne (Jelenia Góra, Poland), 2002
– Way of the Cross, St. Joseph the Worker Church, Zgorzelec (Poland), 2007
– Way of the Cross, St. Jude Thaddeus Church, Czarne (Jelenia Góra, Poland), 2010
– Via Crucis Biblica, 2012
– frescoes and the Image of Merciful Jesus, St. Jude Thaddeus Church, Czarne (Jelenia Góra, Poland), 2016
– frescoes and the choir’s matroneum, St. Jude Thaddeus Church, Czarne (Jelenia Góra, Poland), 2017.
Awards:
– the 1st Award for graphic art Il Segno, Varese (Italy),1989
– the Decoration of Honor Meritorious for Polish Culture, 2018.
KRZYSZTOF IZDEBSKI-CRUZ
Born in 1966 in Toruń, Poland. He is a painter, graphic designer and cultural animator. He is considered a member of the New Old Masters – an informal group of contemporary figurative painters described by Donald Kuspit in his book The End of Art and presented in exhibitions: California New Old Masters, Hermosa Beach, California, US, New Old Masters,Gdańsk, Poland in 2006/2007 and in NOM Invitational, New York in 2010.
Izdebski-Cruz signs his paintings in mirror writing, using the artistic name of Kriz Cruz. The name was created by connecting the first two letters of his first name and his surname (KR+IZ) and adding his mother’s family name – Cruz. Izdebski-Cruz antidates his paintings 100 years as he sees the recent century as time artistically wasted. His paintings‘ form is impeccable, he imitates the techniques of old masters. Most frequently he paints in oil and pastel. His paintings‘ themes are typically mythological scenes. His favorite themes he often returns to are Ovid’s Metamorphoses. They inspired the paintings Pan and Syrinx, The Kidnapper Harpy, The Gorgon’s Daughter, La piovra, Medusa, Akis, Akis and Leucippus and the iconic Galatea. The last painting has been presented in numerous exhibitions in Poland, among others in Gdańsk, Warsaw, Toruń, Bydgoszcz, Włocławek, Kołobrzeg, Wrocław and abroad, among others in Vienna (2008 and 2009), New York (2010 and 2011), Jackson Hall (2013), Istanbul (2014, Turkey) and Kuala Lumpur (2015, Malaysia).
Kriz Cruz has exhibited his works abroad together with the most notable contemporary artists, such as Igor Mitoraj, Odd Nerdrum, Steven Assael, Richard Estes, Vincent Desiderio, Don Eddy, F. Scott Hess, Robert Graham. He received the Bronze Medal for Merit to Culture Gloria Artis and the Special Prize of the Marshall of the Pomeranian Voivodeship ‘for consistence in using traditional painter techniques and maintaining the classical canon of beauty in his art‘. In 2016–2018, he painted two religious works on canvas and on board: B. Dorothea, Montoviensis, Reclusa 1347–1394 and Sanctus Adalbertus, Martyr 956-997. They are now permanent elements of the inner decoration of St. Mary’s Basilica in Gdańsk. His classically beautiful and excellent works have been shown around the world in over 100 group exhibitions and over 30 individual ones.
As a painter and conservator, he works on drawing, oil and pastel paintings. He is the founding member of the Polish Pastel Painters Association. He had numerous individual and collective exhibitions, namely in Vienna, Vilnius, Bardejov, Lyon, Athens and many German cities. He participates in painter meetings in Poland and all over Europe. His works can be found in several private collections. He is a member of the Association of Polish Artists and Designers.
As a conservator, he has preserved numerous valuable wooden buildings (iconostases, baroque furniture in Jasna Góra, antique furniture from private collections). His passions beside painting include poetry and music. As of yet he has published two book-albums of poetry: My 44 in 2009 and At the crossroad of whispers in 2017 and a book illustrated with his paintings: Nowy Sącz – the city I fell in love with.
Selected exhibitions:
– Painting Salons ZPAP in Nowy Sącz and Kraków
– Triennial of Small Painting Forms in Toruń
– Modern Art Fair in Paris
– National and International Pastel Biennale: 1998 – honorary distinction
– 2002 – 3rd prize and the award of Marshal of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship
– Exhibitions of Polish Contemporary Painting Festivals in Szczecin
– National Salons of Świętokrzyskie
– Kraków and Nowy Sącz showrooms of ZPAP
Prizes and awards:
2004 – ZPAP award „Golden Frame”
2008 – the prize of the Mayor of Nowy Sącz
2013 – award of the Chairman of the City Council of Nowy Sącz
2015 – distinction at the 79th Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture in Chicago,
Sieradzkie Triennial of Still Life
2016 – award of the Director of the Department of Culture and Sport of the City of Nowy Sącz.
WACŁAW JAGIELSKI
Born in 1965 and lives in Nowy Sącz Poland. He graduated from The Fine Art Conservation College and is the founder member of the Polish Pastel Painters Society. Author of several individual exhibitions in Poland and abroad. Participated in many group-exhibitions in Poland and abroad – amongst which were: National Biennale of Pastels – Nowy Sącz (a special award from the Jury), Lyon- France, Modern Art. Fair, Paris 1998 – France, Athens- Greece, Vienna – Austria. The recipient of other art competition awards in Poland. He is member of the Association of Polish Plastics Artists.
“In painting, as in my life, I look for light, colour and optimism. Sometimes sadness, pain, trouble or even a drop of bitterness is needed to make me notice the miracle, happiness, joy or every kindness that God gives me through nature, people and all the beauty I can create.
Tenebrous life, based on blackness, sadness, egoism and destruction is strange and indifferent to me. Light, warmth and the presence of them in my paintings, eyes, heart and spirit make my life beautiful and worthy of respect, reverence and love. I mean here not only my life but the whole of existence in general.
I paint my pictures with respect to all the people I live with and everything that surrounds me. And let it be thus till the end of my artistic work and my life.”
BARBARA KACZMAROWSKA-HAMILTON
Graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk under professor Jackiewicz and continued her studies in Rome and Venice.
She works in a studio in the centre of London. In 1994, she received the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland from president Lech Wałęsa for her creative work and the promotion of Polish art in other countries. In 1999, she had an exhibition in London in The European Arts Gallery and in the Accademia Italiana. In 2014, she received the Bene Merito honorary badge from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland. She has portrayed businessmen, artists and European aristocrats. Among others, she painted Pope John Paul II, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Princess Alexandra of Kent, Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, Margaret Thatcher, the Maharaja of Jodhpur, President Lech Wałęsa, Princess Tatiana von Metternich, Alberto Moravia, Martha Argerich, Duke de Braganca. Her paintings can be found in numerous private galleries in Europe and the USA. They have been displayed e.g. in the Łazienki Park and the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Warsaw, the Polish Cultural Institute, the Partridge Gallery and Accademia di Belle Arti in London, on the Via Margutta in Rome, in Palm Beach Florida and in Jamaica.
She was the chairperson of the Polish Hearth Club in London and is the creator of the Portrait Foundation. She lives with her husband Ian and her sons Felix and Maximilian in Berkshire, England.
DARIUSZ KALETA
Born in 1960 in Lubań Śląski, Poland. Graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice where he studied at the Faculty of Graphic Design. In 1987, he graduated with a degree under professor Tadeusz Grabowski and under professor Tadeusz Gawron. Since 2002 he has been the director of the Modern Art Gallery in Kołobrzeg where he organises exhibitions of great masters of classical and contemporary painting.
He works primarily with oil. He has had several individual and collective exhibitions. Was ranked 81st in The Art Compass – a ranking published in the national Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita of 300 most important Polish post-war painters. A comprehensive characterization of his works was published in the second issue of the quarterly newspaper Artysta i Sztuka (2012).
Selected exhibitions:
1992 – Auction of Contemporary Paintings, New York, USA
1997 – Birth of the New Age, Paris, France
2006 – My Sarmatia, SD Gallery, Warsaw
2012 – The Apelles Group, Hopfenmuseum, Wolnzach, Germany
2012 – The Apelles Group, CKiS, Krzeszowice
2013 – Magical Dreams, Szczyrk
2013 – Profil Gallery, Poznań
2014 – National Gallery of Art, Sopot
2014 – The Apelles Group, ZPAP Gallery, Warsaw
2016 – MM Gallery, Chorzów
2017 – Sandomierz Castle, Sandomierz
2017 – Metamorphosis, Środmiejska Galeria Sztuki, Gdańsk
2018 – Ducal Castle, Szczecin
2018 – In the Search of Beauty, Jacek MalczewskiMuseum, Radom.
KRZYSZTOF KLIMEK
Born in 1962 in Kraków, Poland. In 1982-1988 he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków at the Faculty of Painting in the studio of professor Jerzy Nowosielski.
In 1988-1992 he was managing the QQ gallery (together with Łukasz Guzek and Cezary Woźniak) in Kraków. He was a curator of the 19˚ 57.6 ’E + 50˚ 3.9’ N exhibition (in cooperation with Jarosław Suchan) in 1993.
In 1994 – 1995 Klimek received a scholarship from the Pro Helvetia foundation, La Chaux-de-Fonds.
From 2002 he is a member of the Open Studio Artistic Association. He has participated in many group exhibitions and organised over 20 individual exhibitions. His paintings are in private collections in Poland, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Slovakia and France.
MARCIN KOŁPANOWICZ
Born in 1963 in Cracow, Poland. In 1987, he graduated from the Faculty of Painting at the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts. Since then he has had 30 individual exhibitions and participated in countless collective exhibitions.
He works on metaphorical oil and pastel paintings, in which he mixes a fertile imagination with poetic metaphors and a paradoxical sense of humour. He has also painted portraits, book illustrations and posters. His paintings were featured in the Polish television series Siedlisko directed by Janusz Majewski (in the movie, Anna Dymna is painting Kołpanowicz’s Flying Steam Locomotive) and were used on book covers (e.g. on Waldemar Łysiak’s Kielich).
He painted the Stations of the Cross in the Roman Catholic church of St. Catherine of Alexandria in Tenczynek, beatification painting of sister Marta Wiecka in Sniatyn (Ukraine), the altar painting and fresco in John Paul II Center in Kraków-Łagiewniki, altar picture of St. Rafał Kalinowski in Rudno and pictures for missionary Vincentinum Center and St. Stanislaus chapel in Krzeszowice.
His individual exhibitions were displayed e.g. in Cracow (Inny Świat Gallery, Stara Gallery, Palace Gallery, Villa Decius Gallery, Krypta u Pijarów Gallery), Cologne (Inter Art Galerie Reich), Paris (Galerie Pont Neuf), New York (Vincentian Fathers), Wuppertal (PolyPrint Galerie) and Klagenfurt (Galerie De La Tour). He participated in the biggest Polish and international exhibitions of fantastic realism.
In 2019 he was awarded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland with the Decoration of Honor Meritorious for Polish Culture.
JAROSŁAW KUKOWSKI
Born in 1972 in Tczew, Poland. Polish contemporary painter, juror of international artistic competitions.
His works were displayed among others in the Louvre (Galerie du Carrousel du Louvre) in Paris, KrólikarniaGallery in the National Museum, the National Art Gallery – Zachęta ,in the Rempex Auction House in Warsaw, in the Galicia Museum and the Art Gallery of Contemporary Art Bunker in Kraków, in VoergaardCastle in Denmark, at the Art Expo in New York, the California Modern Art Gallery in San Francisco, SOHO Studios in Miami, BOX eight Studios & Gallery in Los Angeles.
He is considered one of the most influential contemporary surreal artists. His early works, considered symbolic, were filled with themes of drama and sorrow. Deformed human figures, full of pain, and mythical creatures with surreal landscapes in the background. Kukowski called this series Non-dreams.
In the next period, the painter distinctly brightened up his palette. Nudes became the dominant theme of his paintings, but even there marks of decay and passing time are visible. These works were painted as time-eaten frescoes showing entirely different pictures hidden underneath. In his next phase, Kukowski revisited the style of his first works, but despite the brighter colours his paintings gradually became more ironic and provocative.
His latest series called Memento consists of four-dimensional art installations combining sculpture, painting and functioning clocks.
DANIEL PAWŁOWSKI
Born in 1989 in Włocławek, Poland. He graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, specializing in Antiques Restoration. His passion for painting made itself evident fairly early, as a boy he showed unlimited interest in art. He perfected a wide range of artistic skills under professor Waldemar Biliński in Włocławek. These skills ranged from wooden, clay and ceramic sculpture, all kinds of collages, drawings and watercolours to his beloved oil on canvas. As a child he already knew the whole process of the creation a painting, from stretching a canvas over a frame to coating.
JÓZEF STOLORZ
Born in 1950 in Katowice, Poland – the year and place hold a special symbolic meaning for all of his artistic work, together with the fact that his grandfather was a miner and that Stolorz grew up in the cultural traditions of Upper Silesia. In 1969 he finished art school in Katowice.
In high school he was engaged in the Silesian blues scene: together with Ireneusz Dudek and Julian Gembalski they arranged music for what they called ‘beat masses’ in the crypt of the cathedral in Katowice. These contacts would soon have an effect on the painter: he usually paints to music and presents his paintings in galleries filled with music he finds inspiring.
After graduating high school he studied Antiques Restoration at the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, and later Art History at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin. In the 1980s he began to study the techniques of old masters and lead a workshop for copying old paintings. He also perfected his own technique at this time. He participated and received awards in prestigious all-Poland exhibitions, e.g. Bielska Jesień (BWA Bielsko-Biała) and the Józef Spychalski Competition (BWA Poznań).
In 1991 he joined the Association of Polish Artists and Designers. He has had over 80 individual exhibitions (among others in Art Expo in New York in 2009 and in the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington).
He participated in over 160 collective exhibitions in Poland and other countries. His works are visionary and esoteric at times, with elements of romanticism and symbolism. He has been referred to as the master of light by many of his paintings’ viewers.
KRZYSZTOF WIŚNIEWSKI
Born in 1960 in Chełmża, Poland. He lives in Lipnoand works as a teacher. He graduated from the Nicolaus Copernicus University at the Faculty of Fine Arts. He studied painting under professor Mieczysław Ziomek and drawing under professor Jędrzej Gołaś. He’s a member of the Association of Polish Artists and Designers (Toruń District).
As concerns his art style, he is connected to a group of painters practicing magical realism.
He was rewarded with the Golden Medal for Long Service by the President of the Republic of Poland and with the title Meritorious from the City of Lipno.
“In my paintings I like to use a palette of cold hues (blues, violets and pinks). These colours together with my favourite requisites always plays a symbolic role. My blue is not only a colour of air perspective. It does not just pierce through, it takes you far away. In combination with green, it becomes a spiritual colour, it refers to past and future events, it expresses restless, wistful sensitivity and loneliness. A row of chess figures, on the other hand, emphasises the uncertainty of the flow of time and of human fate.”